Picture display

ABSTRACT

A picture hanging system includes a picture joined to the front side of a backing by a spacer, wherein the spacer spaces the picture from the backing. A hanger is joined to the back side of the backing to mount the backing to a wall. The hanger includes an anchor portion which is joined to the backing and an array portion which includes a plurality of apertures. The apertures are circular and positioned in an offset array.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Patent Application No. 61/767,417, filed on Feb. 21, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Art is displayed in a number of ways, such as in picture frames. Picture frames are traditionally characterized by a decorative perimeter which frames the art, and a piece of glass protecting the art. Such traditional frames are both decorative and protective—they serve to protect the fragile paper or canvas on which the art resides while also providing a decorative border to the art. The downside of such displays is that such frames are often bulky, which when combined with a mat or other border, add significantly to the area required to hang the picture. Further, such traditional displays are costly, including the price of the frame, glass, mat and other elements.

Typical art displays are attached to a wall using a hanger, such as an eyelet or wire which is hung from a hook on the wall. Such hangers have drawbacks, such as the difficulty of providing precise positioning of the art display on the wall. For example, if many pieces of art are to be displayed on the wall along a horizontal line, it is difficult to line all of the pictures up since exacting measurements must be taken in order to ensure proper alignment of the collection of pieces of art.

As such, an improved picture display system is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a picture display having a backing which supports one or more pictures. The pictures are preferably mounted to the backing in a way that offsets the pictures from the backing, providing a layered, or elevated appearance to the picture display. A hanger mounts the backing to a wall, wherein the anchor includes a portion having an array of apertures. The array of apertures are configured such that for a given placement of a fastener on a wall, the picture display may be mounted at a preferred horizontal or vertical position by selecting a desired aperture. In the preferred embodiment, the pictures are printed directly to metal, such as aluminum, and the backing is made from the same material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of this invention has been chosen wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a picture display;

FIG. 2 is a left end view of the picture display of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right end view of the picture display of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the picture display of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a picture display having an alternative hanger;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional top view taken along line 6-6 of the picture display of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the hanger of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional top view taken along line 8-8 of the hanger of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the picture display of FIG. 5;

FIG. 10 is a top view of an alternative hanger;

FIG. 11 is a back view of the alternative hanger of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a side view of a hook which is used in combination with the hanger of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view showing the hook of FIG. 12 embedded in a wall and the hanger of FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a back view of the hangar of FIG. 10 as joined to a piece of art;

FIG. 15 is a side view showing the first step of hanging a picture using the hanger of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 16 is a side view showing the second step of hanging a picture using the hanger of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1, a picture display 10 is provided which includes a backing 12 which serves as a decorative support surface for displaying one or more pictures 14. The backing 12 is a planar sheet, preferably formed from a rigid material that can accept a printed pattern, design or picture, such as metal, preferably aluminum. The backing 12 includes a front side 16 and a back side 18, wherein the front side 16 optionally includes a decorative design, such as the argyle design illustrated in FIG. 1.

The pictures 14 are attached to the front side 16 of the backing 12. The pictures 14 are each a planar sheet, preferably formed from a rigid material that can accept a printed pattern, design or picture, such as metal, preferably aluminum. The pictures 14 are preferably not encased in glass as is typically the case in standard frames. Further, the pictures 14 are preferably not surrounded by a separate frame. Instead, the pictures 14 are mounted to the backing 12. In one embodiment, the pictures 14 are mounted directly to the backing 12 by an adhesive or glue. In the preferred embodiment, a spacer 20 is positioned between the backing 12 and the picture 14, such that a three dimensional elevated effect is achieved. The spacer 20 is a planar sheet having a thickness which provides a desired offset of the picture 14 from the backing 12. Foam board or corrugated board can serve as a suitable spacer 20. The spacer 20 is sandwiched between the backing 12 and the picture 14, the spacer 20 being secured to both the backing 12 and the picture 14, such as by adhesive. The spacer 20 preferably has a smaller footprint than the picture 14, such that the edges of the picture 14 overlie the spacer 20.

Either a single picture 14, or multiple pictures 14, as shown in FIG. 1, are displayed on the backing 12. Due to the planar nature of backing 12, the pictures 14 may be positioned in a desired location and orientation on backing 12. The framing (the perimeter white space shown in FIG. 1) around each picture 14 shown illustrates an optional decorative border 22 printed as part of picture 14.

A hanger 24 is a bracket used to hang the backing 12 on a surface, such as on a wall. The hanger 24 is formed having an anchor portion 26 which is a planar portion of the hanger 24 which is attached to the backing 12, such as by an adhesive. An offset potion 28 is joined to the anchor portion 26 and extends away from the backing 12. An array portion 30 is joined to the offset portion 28 and is preferably parallel with the anchor portion 26. The array portion 30, as shown in FIG. 2, is cantilevered. Preferably, the hanger 24 is formed from a single sheet of material, such as aluminum, which is bent along a line defined by the intersection between the anchor portion 26 and the offset portion 28 and also is bent along another line defined by the intersection between the offset portion 28 and the array portion 30. The offset potion 28 is designed to space the array portion 30 from the backing 12 to provide room for the head of a fastener 32 (see FIG. 6).

Referring now to FIG. 7, the array portion 30 includes a plurality of apertures 34. The apertures 34 are circular holes formed through the hanger 24, and positioned in a packed pattern such that the apertures 34 are oriented in a series of vertical lines, with adjacent lines offset vertically from one another such that the surface area between the apertures 34 is minimized. An aperture in a first vertical line has a horizontal diameter which is positioned roughly even horizontally with a point tangential to the edge of an aperture in a vertical line adjacent to the first vertical line. As such, the apertures are positioned in vertical lines which alternate in offset arrangement to provide a packed-design.

The array portion 30 and associated apertures 34 provide an improved picture hanging system. Typically, picture frames include a wire or one or more eyelets from which the picture frame hangs. These traditional hanging elements lack versatility in spatial positioning of the picture; once a nail has been placed in the wall, the picture will only hang level at a single horizontal and vertical position. The array portion 30 and associated aperture 34 allow for variable horizontal and vertical placement of the picture display 10—the fastener 32 may be positioned in any of apertures 34 such that the desired horizontal and vertical position of the picture display 10 is achieved. This feature of the array portion 30 is particularly useful where multiple picture displays 10 are located adjacent one another on a wall, such that the fasteners 32 need not be perfectly aligned to have the adjacent picture displays 10 aligned on the wall.

The apertures 34 are preferably circular in shape. The circular shape of the apertures 34 compliments the circular shape of the fasteners 32.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-9, an alternative embodiment of a hanger 36 is shown where the hanger 36 includes an anchor portion 38, an offset portion 40 and an array portion 42. The anchor portion 38 is formed generally parallel with the backing 12, and joined thereto by a fastener, such as adhesive. The offset portion 40 extends generally perpendicularly between the anchor portion 38 and the array portion 42. In this embodiment, the hanger 36 includes a pair of anchor portions 38 with the array portion 42 spanning a pair of offset portions 40.

As shown, the first anchor portion 38 is joined at a vertical bend to a first offset portion 40, wherein the first anchor portion 38 and the first offset portion 40 are perpendicular to each other. The first offset portion 40 is joined at a vertical bend to a first end of the array portion 42, wherein the first offset portion 40 and the array portion 42 are perpendicular to each other. The second anchor portion 38′ is joined at a vertical bend to a second offset portion 40′, wherein the second anchor portion 38′ and the second offset portion 40′ are perpendicular to each other. The second offset portion 40′ is joined at a vertical bend to a second end of the array portion 42, wherein the second offset portion 40′ and the array portion 42 are perpendicular to each other. In this way, the array portion 42 is parallel with both the first anchor portion 38 and the second anchor portion 38′ and the first offset portion 40 is parallel with the second offset portion 40′. The first and second offset portions 40, 40′ provide clearance between the array portion and the anchor portions 38, 38′ to allow room for the fastener to extend from the wall and into the space between the array portion 42 and the backing 12.

Referring to FIG. 9, the hanger 36 is joined to the backing by joining a first strip of adhesive 44 to the first anchor portion 38 and joining a second strip of adhesive 44′ to the second anchor portion 38′. Each adhesive strip 44, 44′ is then adhered to the rear side of the backing 12. A fastener is then secured in the wall, and the fastener is then placed in one of the apertures 34 to position the picture display 10 at a desired horizontal and vertical position on the wall.

The apertures 34 are adapted for use with a fastener which does not have a large head, such as a standard nail or screw, since such fastener would not fit through the apertures 34. Instead, the apertures 34 are adapted for use with a fastener which includes a generally-constant cross-sectional area along the length of the fastener (the cross-sectional area may narrow at a pointed tip, but is otherwise the same along the length of the fastener). One suitable fastener 46 for use with the apertures 34 is shown in FIG. 12. The fastener 46 is a length of wire which is bent into the shape as shown. The fastener 46 includes a pointed end 48 which is suitable for being used for burrowing a hole is a wall. The pointed end 48 is the terminal end of a linear portion 50 of the fastener 46. The end of the linear portion 50 opposite the pointed end 48 is joined to a curved portion 52, which curved portion in turn is joined to an L-shaped portion 54. The L-shaped portion 54 includes a terminal tip 56. The tip 56 is adapted for being positioned in one of the apertures 34, wherein the aperture 34 will rest in the bend of the L-shaped portion 54 when the hanger 36 is hung on the fastener 46. FIG. 13 shows the fastener 46 as carried in a wall.

Referring to FIGS. 10, 11 and 13, a variation of the hanger 36 is shown which includes an auxiliary aperture 58 which includes a sawtooth hanger 60. The sawtooth hanger 60 defines a portion of the auxiliary aperture 58 and includes a series of peaks and valleys along the length thereof. The sawtooth hanger 60 allows the hanger 38 to either be used with the hanger 46 shown in FIG. 12, or with a standard nail or screw or other picturing hanging fastener which is too large to be mounted in one of apertures 34. In this way, the hanger 36 shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 13 provides a versatile hanging system suitable for use with most common fasteners.

FIG. 14 shows the hanger 36 as mounted to a picture. While the hanger 36 is preferably used with a flat metal picture, such as shown in FIGS. 1-4, the hanger 36 is also suitable for use with a standard frame and glass picture frame.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show the installation steps for the fastener 46. As shown in FIG. 15, a user forces the pointed tip 48 through the wall. Once a hole is formed through the wall, the hanger 36 is advanced into the void behind the wall until only the L-shaped portion is showing. The pointed tip 48 will contact the inner surface of the wall, thereby causing the fastener 46 to bend somewhat, which will help to distribute the forces on the fastener 46 to the tip 48. Next, the fastener 46 is mounted in one of the apertures 34 of the hanger 36, which hanger 36 is mounted to a picture (shown in dotted line), thereby hanging the picture on the wall. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A picture hanging system comprising: a hanger, said hanger comprising: an anchor portion; an offset portion; an array plate having a plurality of circular apertures aligned in a plurality of nested lines; said anchor portion spaced from said array portion by said offset portion; a picture display, said picture display comprising: a backing; a spacer; and a picture; said anchor portion of said hanger mounted to said backing, said picture mounted to said spacer, said spacer mounted to said backing
 2. The picture hanging system of claim 1, wherein said array portion is cantilevered relative said anchor portion by said offset portion.
 3. The picture hanging system of claim 1, wherein said array portion is mounted between a pair of said offset portions.
 4. A picture hanger system comprising: a planar member having a front side and a back side; a picture is printed on said front side of said planar member; a hanger includes an array portion and an anchor portion, said anchor portion is adhered to said back side of said planar member, said anchor portion is joined to said array portion by said offset portion; said offset portion is joined to both said array portion and said anchor portion and offsets said array portion from said planar member; said array portion includes a plurality of apertures arrayed in a series of vertical lines wherein a diameter of an aperture in a first vertical line is oriented to intersect a tangent of an aperture in an adjacent vertical line; said array portion includes an auxiliary aperture which is partially defined by a sawtooth picture hanger.
 5. The picture hanging system of claim 4, wherein said array portion is cantilevered relative said anchor portion by said offset portion.
 6. The picture hanging system of claim 4, wherein said array portion is mounted between a pair of said offset portions. 